tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71252861416701308052024-03-19T01:00:03.889-04:00ReinventingColeThe often ordinary, sometimes insane, always impassioned life of a guy in NYC with a crazy past and an interesting idea for the future...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-23258934478621217712018-04-14T20:56:00.000-04:002018-04-14T20:59:41.355-04:00Cecilia-Mother-Master<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Certainly I don't talk about my mother mother's very often . I write about her even less. However , in the aftermath of the past 7 days I find it necessary to invoke her name.<br />
<br />
Late last week my mother had her second heart attack. She's alive and well from what I hear. I have you speak to her which pains me in a way that I almost didn't expect. When you think that someone has lost their power over you it's rather unnerving to find that they still hold significant sway. Especially when that person is your parent. Not that the word means anything much with regard to her-she has missed every important milestone since my first steps. I only vaguely remember ever living with her, and to say our relationship is estranged would be akin to saying the US and Cuba are cozy.<br />
<br />
Yet still I find myself ripped open by her lack of communication, by her failure to tell me she had a boyfriend, moved to another city, and now had another possibly fatal medical emergency. She demands I share terribly personal similar information with her by invoking the word "mother." Or by saying it's all my dad's fault that we aren't closer.<br />
<br />
FACT: we aren't close because I have had to protect my emotional health from her influence and her lack of any sort of relationship with the truth, NOT because of my father.<br />
<br />
Back to the issue at hand: my mother, after 2 cardiac arrests, is likely dying from heart disease, compounded by years of drug use and poor diet. She is going to die. And it's going to be ok. But I am anything but okay right now. A thousand miles away, without even a current phone number for her, I am having a heart attack of a different kind. My mommy is in trouble, and I am helpless to engage any resources to assist.<br />
<br />
I am powerless, not because I am weak, but because my strength right now is needed here. I have to help me get through the storm to come. Nobody else can.<br />
<br />
I love you, Mother. I would do almost anything to help you. Except sacrifice the future I am beginning to see for myself.<br />
<br />
Love and Light,<br />
Cole </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-29869178483859736372012-05-04T08:13:00.002-04:002012-05-04T08:13:45.688-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">"Solutions for peace are never political, philosophical, or militaristic. The fate of the world, begins and ends with individual behavior." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">This quote from Yehuda Berg in right in line with my own philosophy:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Peace is about PEOPLE. We have so much in common with our fellow souls, but tend to focus instead on the areas where we differ. This focus leads to misunderstanding and Ego taking over. Ego taking over leads to conflict. Conflict leads to War and destruction. We, as stewards of this magnificent planet, owe it to ourselves to protect it, and all of the creatures residing on it. Even if that sometimes means stepping out of our comfort zone and looking in from another perspective.</span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">I wonder sometimes if we will ever be able to step beyond our own preconceived notions and into the greater picture the Universe is trying to present us. I hope so.</span></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-4619906434277442272012-02-21T08:16:00.000-05:002012-05-04T08:17:07.272-04:00Another Goodbye<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, when the news broke that Whitney Houston had passed away Saturday afternoon, on the eve of the Grammy Awards, it literally knocked the wind out of me. With her, goes a piece of my childhood. Whitney and Madonna gave a young, scared and lonely gay boy a sense of hope for the future. Sadly, it was a sense that she couldn't seem to hold on to in the glare of the spotlight. The pressures of her life must have seemed unbearable. Such beautiful, pure talent. Such a glowing soul. <br />
<br />
Gone far too soon.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-9716194304763176202012-01-29T11:58:00.000-05:002012-01-29T11:58:32.280-05:00Film Premiere with the Queen of Pop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, I was lucky enough to be invited to a screening of the Madonna-directed W/E at the Ziegfeld Theater in midtown Manhattan last Monday. Needless to say, the prospect of attending an official red carpet, NYC film premiere was a BIG deal to me. Add to that the prospect of being in the same room as the Queen of Pop herself, and I was a ball of excited nerves! My best friend Jesus and I brushed elbows with some amazingly talented people that evening: Ewan McGregor, Julia Stiles, Lady Bunny and more were in attendance. When Madonna was introduced, and came to the front of the theater to speak, I was excited beyond comprehension. Not that it was my first time at an event with her, but any chance to see M is exciting for me. The Marchesa gown she was wearing was flawless, and her speech was both heartfelt and personal. Madonna discussed her inspiration to make this film, and even paused to thank her long deceased mother in a tearful moment. After the 14 minute speech and introduction from M, the film rolled.<br />
<br />
If I had gone in with low expectations for Madonna's directorial debut, I would have been selling her short. Madonna and her supremely talented cast not only delivered, they exceeded expectations at every turn. Humanizing one of the best known historical romances of all time in and of itself would have been a challenge; intermingling it with a contemporary one turned the film into a director's nightmare which by all rights should have been a disaster. Instead, Madonna and company presented us with a masterpiece. The two stories wove seamlessly into each other, and the inspiration Wally took from Wallis as she learned more and more about the truth about her life was generously shared with the audience. Also not lost was the message that love comes with a price. In the case of Wallis Simpson, the loss of her privacy, her popularity, and the ability for her to ever return to England (she and Edward VIII were never again allowed in the country after the abdication, save when she attended his funeral.) In the case of Wally, it was the materially comfortable life she had shared with her very well off socialite husband. The story in the film is not lost on us, and the fresh perspective with which it looks at a well known historical romance is both refreshing, and, at times, shocking. We often forget Wallis Simpson and Henry VIII were simply 2 people in love, and that love can make us do unexpected things. We tend to focus on what he gave up to be with her, and forget the price she paid to live this fairy tale. This film gives us the contrary viewpoint, and does so in a vivid and touching way.<br />
<br />
As the film ended, I looked around me to see the likes of Gayle King and Martha Stewart on their feet applauding this film, which just confirmed what I already knew: Madonna had done something special with this film. I highly suggest you go see what I mean.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, in order to get where we are headed, we have to pause where we are and take an inventory. Sometimes that inventory will reaffirm what we thought we knew about our journey through life. More often, however, it will show us a need for a slight course correction and a new destination. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0Flatbush - Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, NY, USA40.6409217 -73.96243270000002240.6272837 -73.976116200000021 40.6545597 -73.948749200000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-88500748050939267542012-01-12T04:49:00.001-05:002012-01-12T04:50:14.711-05:00Push Away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, I was involved in a conversation this evening with my Uncle's girlfriend. She was ranting and raving about him (as usual) and when I had the gall to agree with her therapist on the fact that there can be more than one kind of abuse and my uncle overheard it, he started recording from the next room, as unbeknownst to me, I was on speaker phone. Not to say that there was anything said in that conversation I do not stand behind 100%. The man is a 55 year old child, selfish, on drugs, and doesn't fool ANYONE with his whole "divide and conquer" manipulation mentality. <br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong: <u>I love my uncle</u>. <i>I just don't like him. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
So, at TWO IN THE MORNING, my big bad uncle decided he <i>had</i> to call his little brother and stir the pot, wake him up in the middle of the night, and cause a shitstorm. Do I discount that I played a part in this? No. Did a third party need to be involved in something that had NOTHING to do with them? Absolutely not. I am far from an innocent bystander, and I will readily admit that I have a lot of vitriol where my Uncle is concerned. So much so that I deleted and blocked him from FB after getting a call from my very upset younger Uncle asking me what I was doing talking to this lady. I was doing exactly that: talking. I was comisserating in her misery, and trying to offer her a release valve, and a calm voice, though I was unsuccessful in my desire to be calm and reasonable. Where this particular Uncle (or my Mother, for that matter) is concerned, the wonds are too deep, the scars too ugly to try to heal anymore.<br />
<br />
I have tried therapy, I have written about it, I have taken anti depressants since I was ten, and still, the pain that this particular part of my family causes with there mere existence can sometimes be more than I can reasonably be expected to bear. So I become angry, I lash out, I push them away. <br />
<br />
I think it is time to push away a little harder.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-90094422341541822852011-12-10T19:37:00.000-05:002011-12-10T19:37:35.434-05:00Random Occurrences<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, when you run into your ex fiancée at a club, and he is there dancing with his new plaything, go over and say hi to them politely, and then go about your own evening, is it a BAD thing to enjoy that he spends the rest of the night staring at you while you dance with someone else?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-11801212263404012312011-12-09T04:17:00.000-05:002011-12-09T04:17:46.037-05:00Miami-Dade (laugh) Transit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, a few years back, I was really excited that my hometown of Miami was going to be expanding Public Transit in what seemed like an intelligent and a meaningful way. The planned expansions of the MetroRail were (seemingly) well thought out, and would serve some of Miami's most deserving communities. For those who know Miami well, imagine being able to go from Dadeland to Joe Robbie Stadium (I will always call it that) on the same train without having to drive or pay to park in an open dirt lot. Imagine being able to drink at the Dolphin game and not worry about driving home. That would have been just a few of the possibilities with the proposed expansion (I hate football, but not as much as I hate Drunk Drivers!) Not to mention that it would have brought reliable transit into the North Miami/Liberty City/Opa Locka areas, providing vital connections to services like Jackson Hospital and Miami-Dade College, the employment opportunities in Downtown, and eventually (with the completion of the planned Phase 2) Florida International University in western Miami-Dade County. Needless to say, if Miami is truly going to be a city of the New Milennium, Public Transit needs to improve. Sadly, Miami does not seem to grasp this fact. Despite asking voters to approve a tax increase to support the promised expansions (voters passed it in 2002,) with the promise of expanded, reliable rail service, the plans have now been scrapped for both phases of "orange line" construction. <br />
<br />
In the 13 years since I moved to New York, the air in Miami has become visibly clogged with pollution from carbon-spewing automobiles and planes. The city I grew up in has become the Los Angeles of the east coast with regards to traffic, and wider highways and massive spending on roads is not going to improve the situation. You may ask what set me off on my little tirade-well, let me tell you. I was perusing the website that discusses improvements to the system via www.miamidade.gov and saw that the MetroRail now has free WiFi in all cars. Okay, that's kinda cool, especially since even NYC doesn't offer that perk. Here's my issue-most commuters on MetroRail ride approximately 20-25 minutes to their destination, whereas many bus passengers spend over an hour on the bus <i><u>before even connecting to MetroRail</u></i>. So, if you are going to invest in WiFi, you would think that those who have the longest commute would benefit the most from access, right? Just another example of backwards thinking by a government agency (I wonder which Miami-Dade County employee wanted to use their laptop or iPad on the train and got this done with no regard to the many thousands of bus riders who could really use it?) Again, I am not knocking the idea of it, just the lack of system-wide implementation. MetroRail has suffered for 30 years from poor planning, has never been able to cover its own operating or even construction costs, and is commonly referred to as "MetroFAIL" by riders, who find it to be plagued with problems and unreliable service. When I used to ride it to work, I was frequently late, and even 'coached' that I should take the earlier option, which would leave me at my job a full hour ahead of my start time in order to avoid being late. I started driving to work immediately, despite my desire to be environmentally aware (this was before hybrid cars were domestically available.)<br />
<br />
So, can someone please explain to me the logic in scrapping a project what would INCREASE ridership and revenue, REDUCE carbon emissions and DUI's, and (possibly most importantly in this economy) CREATE jobs? If you can, please feel free to, because I am at a loss here...</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com1Flatbush - Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, NY, USA40.6409217 -73.96243270000002240.6272837 -73.976116200000021 40.6545597 -73.948749200000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-87167613312662808512011-10-31T15:36:00.001-04:002011-10-31T15:36:51.398-04:00When do you finally let it sink in that you are better? When a song that used to make you cry makes you smile instead.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-50382042836715881962011-08-01T01:17:00.000-04:002011-08-01T01:17:05.946-04:00Lights Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, a few years ago, I met this guy who was more than fun. We hung out, became friends, we even learned we have the same birthday (albeit he was 12 years younger than I.) <br />
<br />
Tonight, I found out that my friend is gone. Just like that. He had been drinking, and went to take the subway home. He stumbled off the platform and hit his head on the track. He died. Alone. At 23 years old.<br />
<br />
The funny thing is that I was kind of peeved with him this morning because he didn't call to tell me when and where we were going to go meet to go to the beach. I had no idea he was in a morgue. <br />
<br />
Cherish your friends. You never know that the last time you see them will be the last time. <br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0Brooklyn, NY, USA40.65 -73.94999999999998940.555797999999996 -74.061632499999988 40.744202 -73.83836749999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-61378501393801540712011-07-26T17:17:00.000-04:002011-07-26T17:17:07.038-04:00A Year Ago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">At this time last year, I was with Steve. Just under a month away from being engaged to the man who would break my heart into a million pieces. I thought I was happy, thought I was safe. As I re-read the blog from May-June, as I followed the book, I realize just what an illusion I was living under. Shattering that illusion-the illusion that he <i>actually</i> loved me in the way he claimed to-was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. But I did it. I faced that, and confronted so many of my darkest demons in 30 days, that it is almost as if there is more space in my heart for good and new and Light than I know what to do with!<br />
<br />
Every day, in every way, things get better and better. <br />
<br />
Sure I can worry about the economy, the Debt Ceiling, and a million other things I have no control over. I do worry about them, but I know that God has a plan for me, and I believe it does not include the nation around me crumbling under a financial crisis, just as I prepare myself for the next step into a brighter future for myself, and for all those around me, whom I hope to serve.<br />
<br />
Until next time, Love and Light!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-43066672453340120452011-07-04T20:34:00.000-04:002011-07-04T20:34:19.777-04:00Borrowed from a friend and had to share today...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This piece is just too poignant for me not to share it today. In honor of all of us who continue to fight to be free in the USA...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.<br />
I am the boy who never finished high school, because I got called a fag everyday.<br />
I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.<br />
I am the one working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.<br />
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.<br />
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.<br />
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.<br />
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.<br />
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.<br />
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted torent a one-bedroom for two men.<br />
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.<br />
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.<br />
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.<br />
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.<br />
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.<br />
I am the woman who died when the EMTs stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.<br />
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didn’t have to always deal with society hating me.<br />
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don’t believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.<br />
I am a warrior for my country serving proud, but can’t be my true self because gays aren’t allowed in the military.<br />
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.<br />
I am the person ashamed to tell my own friends I’m a lesbian, because they constantly make fun of them.<br />
I am the who isn’t sure what she is.<br />
I am the who is rejected by her “best friends” because of a less-than-conventional crush.<br />
I am the boy tied to a fence, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die because two straight men wanted to “teach me a lesson.”<br />
This is the boy, Matthew Shepard. On October 7, 1998 Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson lead him to a remote area east of Laramie where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of brutality . Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew died on October 12 at 12:53 am at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. Murdered because he was gay.<br />
You don't have to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to support the cause, you just have to know that all men are created equal</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-47316079221052874782011-06-26T13:17:00.001-04:002011-12-10T19:35:41.349-05:00JUBILATION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, here I am in the best place I could possibly be this weekend. NYC. 2 days ago, people like me were granted the right to marry in NY, and it happened to happen the Friday night that kicked off Pride Weekend in Manhattan! What a sight to behold. Thousands upon thousands of loving, committed couples, many with tears of joy and relief streaming down our faces crushed into Christopher Street dancing and cheering in the streets. What an overwhelming feeling of joy. <br />
<br />
We are going to ride this wave of joy all weekend, right through Sunday's Heritage of Pride Parade. Then, on Monday, we go back to work. <br />
<br />
6 states down, 44 to go!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-67622436101468399372011-05-22T08:55:00.000-04:002011-05-22T08:55:06.146-04:00A New Work in Progress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you click on the link above (the name of this entry is the link), you will see my project for the next 30 days. I am reading a book by author Catherine Hickland, and with her permission, I am blogging about the 30 day self help journey it is taking me on...I promise to be back to this blog soon!<br />
<br />
XOXO,<br />
<br />
Cole </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-32831361591776541232011-04-23T23:42:00.000-04:002011-04-23T23:42:59.543-04:00WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">(article I submitted for Yahoo! Entertainment) </div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">NEW YORK-A few short days of our lives ago, Brian Frons, Head of ABC Daytime sent shock waves through the viewing community by announcing the cancellation of two of the three ABC Daytime Soap Operas, All My Children (AMC) and One Life to Live (OLTL.) The announcement came on the heels of a report in TV Guide that AMC was on the block, and OLTL would be next to go. For those of you who are soap fans, or who follow entertainment news in general the reaction that came out of the fan base was unsurprising. Adding fuel to the fire was Frons' statement that he would not listen to or respond to fan calls or letters regarding the cancelled shows, and his further contention that even with lower ratings, his new lifestyle shows were what he believed the viewers wanted to see. For ABC, however, the strength of the viewers' consumer dollars may yet force Frons to re-think his decision, or force ABC to let him go. If 'The Chew" (slated to replace AMC in September) and 'The Revolution' (slated to replace OLTL in January) tank, what will ABC do with two hours of dead air?</div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Fans of the two cancelled soaps have created a number of online petitions and have been putting immense pressure on advertisers to pull out of ABC in protest (as of the time this goes to press, Hoover has pulled out of ABC.) There is even a nationwide group with a website and online store (<a href="http://www.protestabcacrossamerica.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.protestabcacrossamerica.com</a>) that is planning a massive boycott of all ABC programming and is directing members to a 'targeted advertiser of the day' to keep the pressure directed and consistent. Already, ABC's Dancing With the Stars has taken a ratings and word of mouth hit, as soap fans tuned out, and vow to continue doing so. Stars like Robin Strasser (Dorian-OLTL,) Catherine Hickland (ex Lindsay-OLTL) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis-General Hospital) have taken to Twitter and given interviews and made statements supporting the fan-based movement to keep the shows on-air. Grahn recently 'Tweeted' "If soap fans were on the titanic...it would never had sunk." That is a lot of faith to put into your viewers. And the viewers have no intention of letting them down. On the calendar is a series of events aimed at getting media attention and garnering support for the shows. From 'Flash Mobs' at 'Good Morning America' to strip protests at 'The View' the fans do not plan on taking this lying down. Some groups are even trying to raise money to buy airtime to run a "SOS" (Save Our Soaps) commercial on another network. </div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">There has been some criticism lobbed at the soap fans, however, and ABC leaked an unofficial statement while this article was being written that advertiser withdrawals like the one by Hoover would have the opposite of the desired effect. True, it may seem counterintuitive to ask advertisers to withdraw their dollars from the network while the shows are still running, but without the availability of advertiser funds, Frons will never be able to get his planned lifestyle shows off the ground. Wouldn't that be a kick in the rubber parts?</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-16807630639592311852011-04-20T03:30:00.001-04:002011-04-27T17:55:23.072-04:00The Loss of a Loved One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So, how do we say goodbye to something or someone we love? Or do we? Last Thursday, ABC announced the cancellation of a part of my family. <i>One Life to Live</i> has been part of my day for as long as I can remember. My school days were filled with anticipation about getting home to see the show (which I used to watch, being careful not to let my mom notice I had re-wound her tape) and to find out what was going on in Llanview. The characters on OLTL have helped me through some of the darkest days of my life; coming out, the death of a lover, medical nightmares, family crises, unemployment, and more. I find myself feeling like I am watching a loved one get taken off life support. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I wonder what I can do to help them this time?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As the Peabo Bryson title song says:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"...time only knows, how long forever's gonna last...'cuz we only have One Life to Live!" </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Well, with my one life, I am going to do my best to help the window into Llanview stay open!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-33633877961354671472011-04-10T19:38:00.000-04:002011-12-11T16:27:59.643-05:00Hermanos!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wow, I had a great time in Kansas with my brother and his family! Here are a few candid shots....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3YuuB0vuiKrD7gTD_Hd0ze6TBA8IPoXCob7o6vV12xUM_Sv27mCLzE6CEURyIuxFlSsLygXFk_1F8coCHRO6etNZ_01KxYiql4Go3POFxqFozSdOIVfEh57q7wnWiQwPhrMzRmDSJrM/s1600/Carley+and+her+Uncle+Cole+4-1-11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3YuuB0vuiKrD7gTD_Hd0ze6TBA8IPoXCob7o6vV12xUM_Sv27mCLzE6CEURyIuxFlSsLygXFk_1F8coCHRO6etNZ_01KxYiql4Go3POFxqFozSdOIVfEh57q7wnWiQwPhrMzRmDSJrM/s320/Carley+and+her+Uncle+Cole+4-1-11.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJkoXVuDaZe_c_MJSU07B3tnqqyXNdE5FvXM3k8pr3Aq0f7iY3HjEp68B4C9mQAAkiLFvWn6MlO5fH6eYKncHbzDLd1yHKDPtXNvLvr__epdR7YMv8Ak3KmjY7x0lBWHXTeR96CyDhNM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJkoXVuDaZe_c_MJSU07B3tnqqyXNdE5FvXM3k8pr3Aq0f7iY3HjEp68B4C9mQAAkiLFvWn6MlO5fH6eYKncHbzDLd1yHKDPtXNvLvr__epdR7YMv8Ak3KmjY7x0lBWHXTeR96CyDhNM/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vOqHBI3RM2Asm4lDEg5fQcr2Aa-e-vQyUU7-3kGoZsPfFVVnNBempBfVIN31BENMtREDEYrinYbKNBxLwVbIWXuyVuXTHau1UCDZsoKL_2ak0VqjMFJeDXUvJSmUj7bGmFbGaOv3PGo/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vOqHBI3RM2Asm4lDEg5fQcr2Aa-e-vQyUU7-3kGoZsPfFVVnNBempBfVIN31BENMtREDEYrinYbKNBxLwVbIWXuyVuXTHau1UCDZsoKL_2ak0VqjMFJeDXUvJSmUj7bGmFbGaOv3PGo/s320/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-58112675225921859912011-04-03T00:00:00.003-04:002011-12-10T19:37:10.593-05:00Disgusted by FL once again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Governor Scott, are you fucking kidding me?<br />
<br />
Click on the title of the blog for the story behind this...</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-72524503693841661302011-03-31T23:59:00.000-04:002011-04-03T00:00:14.718-04:00Huntsville, AL-GLBT friendly...REALLY!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, here I am in Huntsville, AL. Population, about 200,000 (which is about the size of my neighborhood in Brooklyn) and I have found it to be refreshingly relaxed and open. There are 2 great gay venues here, Club Vieux Carre, and Partners Tavern, I have visited both and THOROUGHLY enjoyed the experience! I am already sad to be leaving, and am really looking forward to coming back. (Am I the same person who was writing about not spending my tourist dollars here just a few weeks ago?) <br />
<br />
Visiting my family here was really overall quite lovely, despite the occasional run-in with my Mother (who I would like to push off a cliff on a regular basis) and my Uncle Johnny's well-meaning, yet ill advised attempts at controlling the entire family through a series of carefully plotted, though poorly executed and completely transparent manipulations. The time I spent with my grandmother and my Uncle Vincent was worth all of the drama in the world as far as I am concerned, and seeing my sister Joanna was really a blessing.<br />
<br />
Now, I am off to the final leg of my journey into the unknown-a visit to my brother in Winfield, KS...<br />
<br />
Wish me Luck!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-83046703140863712882011-03-20T15:47:00.000-04:002011-03-20T15:47:56.140-04:00Say It Isn't So, Hillary!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Watching the Hillary Clinton interview with Wolf Blitzer from 3/16/2011, my heart broke. A LOT. So many people, like myself, who served Hillary's campaign for the Presidency in 2008 have been holding on to the idea that 2016 would finally be the year we saw our candidate hit the home run we have all longed for. Our hopes have been dashed, as Hillary herself has now said she has no intention of seeking a second term as SOS, the Vice Presidency, or the Presidency of the United States.<br />
<br />
I guess it will be up to another woman of honor to shatter that highest glass ceiling once and for all...Chelsea, maybe?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-14747096122128095672011-03-16T10:22:00.001-04:002011-03-16T10:31:45.769-04:00Family Jitters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, with everything going on in the world lately, I somehow still feel kind of weird being nervous about spending time with my brother and his family in the next few weeks. I mean, I haven't really spent any time with him in years, and I am always so nervous about his opinion of me. I am also nervous about meeting my niece (and soon to be born nephew!) I wonder what, if anything, she knows about me...I am pretty sure she knows I exist, but other than that, I know nothing. <br />
<br />
I am also wondering what my going to Kansas says about me politically. I have a pretty strict personal standard about not spending any of my 'gay money' in any state that does not legally recognize any relationship I may have. This policy has kept me away from many people I know and love on more than one occasion. In this instance, I am making a huge exception. Not only am I going to Kansas, I am making stops in Alabama and Georgia on the way. All three of these states pose a moral dilemma for me. How can I reconcile my personal beliefs about spending money in non-GLBT friendly states with my need to see my family? Better question-since not seeing my family is really not a permanent option, how do I ensure that I am spending responsibly on the rare occasions when I do have to go to an unfriendly state? I mean, I already boycott Target, Wal-Mart, BP, Texaco, and numerous other companies that do not provide GLBT Domestic Partner or Spousal Benefits to employees. I pretty much only fly on American Airlines, which has an industry leading record for offering benefits to GLBT employees (unfortunately, I was unable to use them on this trip.) I pore over the HRC Buying Guide each year, and focus my consumer dollars on companies that rate well there. I do not watch <i>American Idol, </i>or other Fox Network TV shows because of the conservative and anti-gay standings of the network that they are on. How much more should/could I possibly do? Is it fair to punish my family for being happy where they are by withdrawing my presence from their lives in order to stand on principle? <br />
<br />
Granted, in the now 12 years I have lived in NYC, my grandmother, my brothers and one of my sisters, my aunt, and uncles, and many other family members haven't bothered to come see me either. That NYC is expensive is simply not an excuse when you take into consideration that they ALL know my sofa bed is theirs for the asking. I have lived alone for 6 years, so they can't blame it on a room mate I don't have. The only person with a get out of jail free card, proverbially speaking, is my Uncle Vincent, who is VIOLENTLY allergic to cats (I have 2) and my grandmothers, Louise, who is afraid of heights and bridges and is claustrophobic to the point of being unable to enter an elevator and Joann, who makes her presence in my life known in so many other ways that I feel she is here with me all the time. Don't get me wrong, I like traveling, I like spending time out of NYC a few times a year (OK, make that like 5 times a year lately,) and I adore my family. But how far does loyalty to family take me when I am compromising my most sacred beliefs to see them? My father who <i>hates</i> NYC, has been here three times (granted, I was in the hospital for two of them and the third was to move me back to FL-that lasted 90 days in 2003.) My point in bringing this up is I pretty much despise Florida, yet am pressured into going down at LEAST two to three times per year. I am slowly learning to look at it the way a tourist would, but spending time with my family is no picnic. The logistics of seeing everyone who wants to see me, of doing what is 'expected' of me, and of trying to have some time to have fun with my friends usually send me back to NYC an inch from psychotic. It takes me weeks to unwind and de-stress from being exposed to the constant fighting that is my Mom and Grandmother, or the constant criticism and lack of ability to let ANYTHING go from the latter. While I know my Dad works a lot out of necessity, it would be nice to spend an entire day with him on occasion doing something fun, instead of meeting up at a restaurant on a highway somewhere when I am driving from Orlando to Miami. I know better than to expect to see him on my turf, and pretty much have accepted that, despite the feeling of abandonment that comes with it. One of my siblings and I talk about feeling like second class citizens within our own family often, and we both wonder if it is due to our sexuality. The funny part about that is we are two of the three who have done almost everything on our own, have moved far away from the safety net, and still are criticized for every choice we make by those who know almost nothing about our lives.<br />
<br />
There is a price to be paid for standing up for yourself and your principles. Personally and professionally, politically and in relationships with friends and family. Right now, my heart is in my throat, and I am allowing the love I have for my family and my need for their approval (yes I still want it) to push me to make decisions for me that I would normally never make. I want to know my nieces and nephews, I miss my brother desperately, despite of frequent differences of opinion on so many subjects. Maybe the jitters I am experiencing are normal. Then again, what is normal anyway? All I know is I am a few short days away from getting on a plane and heading off into the undiscovered (by me) country. Will it be worth the nerves and facing my HORRIBLE fear of flying?<br />
<br />
Stay tuned...<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-22328433821304938552011-03-06T01:49:00.000-05:002011-03-06T01:49:37.807-05:00Collateral Damage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, how do you look at someone who reminds you so much of yourself and do to them what someone did to you years earlier? <br />
<br />
How do you tell them that the way you feel is in no way reflective of the way they feel? <br />
<br />
How do you rip someone's heart out and live with yourself?<br />
<br />
Am I just so damaged that I will allow this drama to play itself out as if I weren't a part of it?<br />
<br />
Is there a gentle way to let someone down, when you know it is going to rip them apart?<br />
<br />
Or do you allow yourself get ripped to shreds, a little at a time, for the sake of someone you don't even really know?<br />
<br />
Which is worse-a surgical strike, or the delay of action which leads to greater collateral damage?<br />
<br />
Dating is war.<br />
<br />
I hate war.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-50244007352027237682011-02-26T11:37:00.001-05:002011-03-16T10:33:02.212-04:00Battleground:Wisconsin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;">Madison, Wisconsin has come to the forefront of United States politicians minds in recent weeks. With the massive protests in Madison, the sparks could and (probably already have) create a national firestorm over Labor Laws, with Governors like Rick Scott (R-FL) ringing in in support of Wisconsin's attempts to end Unions and Collective Bargaining in that state, and suggesting he may attempt the same in FL. With all this going on Wisconsin could be a harbinger of what to look out for in 2012. Forget such divisive discussions as whether or not Gay Marriage should happen in Peoria. The buzzword is Unions, and the rights of workers to form them to protect their rights and benefits. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I make my case, I feel it important to give you a brief History lesson. I also feel it is my duty to those of you who read this to mention that I am a former Union Representative, and also was a long term employee of a major US clothing company that rigorously fights to quash even the most minute discussion of Unionization in any of its 2000-plus stores. I have worked in the Retail Industry in three states here in the US, and all three allow Unions. There are very few of us who remember this nation before Unions and before the Labor Laws that are today in place because of the existence of Collective Bargaining, and the Union leaders who fought to ensure that employers offer Insurance, that breaks are given during work shifts, that Job Safety is the responsibility of the employer as well as the employee. I can, however, tell you that without the Unions formed in this country in the first half of the 20th century, the worker of today would not be a happy camper. Yes, many of the unions we hear about are primarily unions that deal with public sector jobs- Police, Fire Departments, Teachers, Healthcare Workers, et cetera, but there are many non public unions which exist in the US today. The Screen Actors' Guild (SAG,) and the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Workers' Union (RWDSU) are two well known examples of private sector unions. These organizations were created to ensure <i>fair labor practices. </i>Sadly, that little tidbit of US History seems lost in this battle. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911, helped create a Union which ensured safe working conditions for Garment Workers. 146 persons perished in that fire because Management had LOCKED the Fire Escapes and Stairwells to prevent workers from leaving early. As a result, when fire broke out, the workers wound up leaping to their deaths from 9th and 10th story windows rather than be burned alive. Today, the same managers would be held accountable for those deaths, and for answering to violating the laws now in place to prevent such a loss of life from occurring again. Many of us remember the film 'Norma Rae' (and if you don't-go rent it) and the impassioned performance given by Sally Field in it. What few of remember is that the film was based on the life of a real labor leader in North Carolina, Crystal Lee Sutton (Who, in an ironic twist of fate, passed away on 9/11/09 of a treatable brain cancer after her employer provided insurer refused treatment.) Unions were and are usually created as a result of abuses, either real or perceived, by employers. They were created by regular people trying to make the world a better place. That being said, there are definitely some drawbacks. Not the smallest of which being the inherent political struggles within them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of my happiest days thus far were spent in a job where we had no union, a job I stayed with for almost 10 years before seeking the proverbial greener pasture. But I was then, and am today very aware that the employment practices observed by that company existed because the state in which it was founded (CA) has some of the strongest laws in the US protecting workers. For every 8 hour shift, we were granted an hour long lunch, and two 15 minute breaks (which exceeds the legal requirements in NY state) as the Operational Guidelines set forth by Corporate HQ were based on the CA Labor Laws regarding employee breaks. The directive was written that that was the standard of the Company, and that it was to be implemented regardless of State or Local Laws not requiring that they be followed. As a result of this, and other practices making employees feel valued and welcome and important, I can honestly say it is a Company which probably would not benefit from a Union. Sadly, it is also the exception to the rule. In an economy driven by profit and streamlined service, the pressure is on local management to get the most out of every employee by any means necessary. The means employed are not usually of the mindset that a happy employee is a productive one, and often, such as was the case in Wal-Mart, employers go too far, implementing unfair wage practices and paying women or minority employees less, or by making 'part time' employees work 32-plus hour weeks but not giving them benefits. Incidentally, in NY, if you work more than an average of 32 hours for 12 or more weeks, your employer is required to grant Full Time status, and provide benefits-something FAR to few workers know, and that ignorance is taken advantage of by employers far too often. So there are many circumstances in which a Union would be a good thing, and there are many in which it would either not be warranted or necessary. Do I think a teacher (or anyone for that matter) making $89,000 a year should be require to pay into his own pension and pay a small premium for his Health Insurance? ABSOLUTELY. Do I think any state should write a law banning Organized Labor? NO WAY.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So yes, I believe Unions play an important role in keeping the labor practices in the US fair and equitable. Also, no, I do not think their tactics are always warranted. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And Governor Scott, (if you read this because you got mentioned) if you think taxes in Florida are too high, come live up North for a while. I make less than $50,000 a year, and happily pay my higher NYC tax rate to know my job is in a safe city with good mass transit and to be sure my garbage and recyclables get picked up when they are supposed to. I am ashamed to call you the Governor of the State I came from.</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-21208301827669741982011-02-06T07:56:00.000-05:002011-02-06T07:56:00.835-05:00Clarence Thomas Lied (again)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, we now have the news that Justice Clarence Thomas lied for the past decade or more on government forms declaring his income. In a nation that is supposedly based on fairness and equality, Justice Thomas should be forced to uphold the same standards as any of the rest of us. If I lied on a government form, specifically one dealing with my finances, I could be subject to fines, and possibly, jail time. Why should the Justices of the Supreme Court be allowed to live by a different set of rules? At the very least, Justice Thomas should be publicly reprimanded by the rest of the Court. <br />
<br />
According to the LA Times, the Supreme Court is the only Judicial Body which is "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">not governed by a set of judicial ethical rules." This basically means that a Justice can pretty much do whatever they want without risking their seat on the bench. I can't be the only person in the US who finds this disturbing. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">Can I?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> I wonder what the penalty would be if Justice Thomas had admitted to, say, insider trading? Would he get a slap on the wrist from the SEC and be sent back to judge the rest of us for our perceived wrongdoings? </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Maybe it is time to review the rules that apply to the Supremes.</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-44167582867056204562011-01-31T21:43:00.000-05:002011-01-31T21:43:32.588-05:00Owning The Truth!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Watching the video of Madonna on Ellen recently discussing bullying and other subjects, I am forced to reflect on a time in my life when I was not so comfortable, or secure as I am today. You see, despite the public face of Miami and its famous beach, the Miami I grew up in in the 1980's and 90's (and the Miami some live in today) was not the most GLBT friendly place on earth. I was teased, spat on, tortured, beaten, robbed, threatened with death...all for being gay. Committing suicide seemed the only way to be free of the hell I seemed to live in. My Mom was a Southern Baptist, and an avid churchgoer, and basically the position of the church was that God hated people like me, so you had few choices. You could A-live a lie by going to 'Conversion Therapy' , B-Kill yourself, C-contract some horrible disease and die as dictated by God, or D-Wait to be beaten to death by the righteous. I was not happy with any of those options, and I did not believe God hated me, or that AIDS was God's answer to homosexuality. So I did what I do today. I stood up, came out and got counted. I found it hard, and my blood was spilled on more than one occasion for standing my ground. But the part of me that I kept safe and secure knew that someday, I would leave the South and move to my version of Mecca-NYC. <br />
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I thought leaving Miami after High School would end all my problems. I was convinced I would be a famous actor, and would find global adulation. I was doubly convinced that I could then use my fame and fortune to champion the cause of GLBT rights. I had no idea of the rough ride I was in for. Life in New York is not for the meek of heart. The City is cold and can be cruel and unusual. I spent many nights cold and hungry. I even spent a few sleeping outdoors because I was out of options when I was first here. I fought and scraped and starved my way through it, though. I learned that life as an actor was fulfilling, but not as much as one involved in the process of politics. I evolved, I grew, I changed. I never, however, forgot where I came from or why I am so passionate and vocal about equality for ALL. I never close my door or my heart to someone who is in a bad situation, particularly when that person is GLBT. I march in parades, wave my flag proudly, and do what I can to keep the march going forward. I do it because so many others can't. I do it because so many who I have loved are gone long before their time. I do it for the kids who remind me of myself before life got too real, before the scars I carry made me harder than I want to be sometimes. <br />
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I still love to perform, I still love attention, but I am learning a little bit every day about how I can employ the skills I have been blessed with in making someone else's day better. Even in retail, I am daily given the chance to make someone feel good about themselves, to show someone the beauty they carry within. I am blessed to live where I wanted to be from the time I was a little boy watching Wonder Woman on TV. It is my job to nurture those blessings to keep them alive, and to share them wherever I can. <br />
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I challenge all of you to do something unexpectedly kind today. Look for the saddest person you can find, and find something about them that is special. Compliment them on it with a smile, and go about your day, without another thought. Then do it again tomorrow. You never know, it could just make the difference that saves someone's life.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7125286141670130805.post-55664541972299882032011-01-11T22:30:00.001-05:002011-01-15T05:05:10.882-05:00Fading Light"Yes, Miami boy, that is snow. It falls from the sky...". Standing near the revolving door at the entrance to GAP store 7232 in Manhattan, I saw snow fall for the first time in my life. It was 1998, shortly before Christmas. I remember that moment, Mildred's voice on the radio in my ear as I stood, mouth in a side-to-side grin looking out the window. It is one of my most treasured memories, and I share that experience not with any one person, but with NYC as a whole. It is one of those indelible moments that sear into my memory, despite the thousands, or millions of others that have come before and after it. Somehow, I hold the wonder, the sense of amazement tightly in my mind. Each time snow falls here on the city I love, it is like that 22 year old man is again standing at that door.<br />
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Tonight, part of the innocence of that moment is tainted with the news that someone who once was one of the planets orbiting my sun, has seen his own light extinguished. Vince was not my first partner, nor my most recent. In fact, we have hardly seen each other in the 14 years since we broke up. But, as I was walking and looking at the snow fall on darkened streets tonight, reveling in each glittery diamond falling in the streetlight, there was a hole in my heart. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3aLMmKxnYYdTbk6By2GBiDfdALxTUPEvjZZdOEuHU_OpiejUetzLO_ZnhIqJHxKcSKgewSCXrnsmddPdJ53YpweCM2gBPVVgGkfAWCqGxMtdgs6m1MJ1yG-CDwvUJeiWaGN9StF5upU/s1600/With+Orly+and+Vince+1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3aLMmKxnYYdTbk6By2GBiDfdALxTUPEvjZZdOEuHU_OpiejUetzLO_ZnhIqJHxKcSKgewSCXrnsmddPdJ53YpweCM2gBPVVgGkfAWCqGxMtdgs6m1MJ1yG-CDwvUJeiWaGN9StF5upU/s320/With+Orly+and+Vince+1995.jpg" width="211" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7ZLKlzXcQLsM4n5Be_a8QCUaldtBEhPgZ20MC9oF8hmKQM8SVMSl97p8fC7TalxtnTnUcJ3_0Iwvukb-mSU88Ixm-oAijHdp14MMYBNxsqT0uspjYQZMJ9X7R73USWrCNFTMXnva9C4/s1600/With+Vince+1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7ZLKlzXcQLsM4n5Be_a8QCUaldtBEhPgZ20MC9oF8hmKQM8SVMSl97p8fC7TalxtnTnUcJ3_0Iwvukb-mSU88Ixm-oAijHdp14MMYBNxsqT0uspjYQZMJ9X7R73USWrCNFTMXnva9C4/s320/With+Vince+1995.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Time seems to have tempered my perception of the past. Somehow, I can hardly remember ever not gtting along with Vince. Somehow, this loss hurts so much more than it should...that leads me to wonder if we ever really stop loving once we have started? I don't think so. So tonight, I will dance in the falling snow, wondering at the marvel of nature, and sending Vince home with all the light I can muster.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100160446919197512noreply@blogger.com4